(StatePoint) Some DIY projects are easier than others. Painting tricky areas like windows, curves, corners, murals and more might intimidate some painters, but don’t let difficulty deter you from transforming your home into a space you love. DIYers of all skill levels can complete tough paint projects with a few useful tips and the right tools.
Challenge 1: Windows
When facing any difficult painting project, like windows, preparation is critical. First, clean the wood trim with warm, soapy water and a cloth or sponge. For wooden windows that will require paint application near the glass, don’t forget to wipe the windowpanes with a glass cleaner. Buildup on these surfaces can prevent painter’s tape from bonding to the surface, leaving room around the edges for paint to seep through and creating unnecessary cleanup post-painting.
Once the surface is prepped, line each windowpane and the trim with painter’s tape, overlapping the edges in each corner for the tightest seal.
Challenge 2: Curves and Edges
A good multi-surface painter’s tape can help DIYers achieve professional results for most paint projects, but when it comes to unusual contours, it’s worth investing in a conformable painter’s tape, like FrogTape Advanced. Made with thin but strong washi paper backing, the green tape lies flat while conforming to curved areas, like around light fixtures, mantels, molding and fireplaces. It’s also treated with exclusive PaintBlock Technology to seal tape edges for clean, sharp paint lines.
Challenge 3: Corners and Trim
When painting a wall or ceiling, it’s not always easy to prevent paint bleed in the corners where adjacent walls or trim meet. Properly applying painter’s tape can simplify the task.
When painting the ceiling, apply tape to the wall around the perimeter of the room, keeping the tape flush with the line where the two areas meet, and overlap the tape in the corners. A similar process can be followed when painting wood trim. When the project is complete, remove the tape slowly at a 45-degree angle while the paint is still wet for best results.
Challenge 4: Murals
Recent consumer research conducted by FrogTape discovered that one of the most popular painting trends for DIYers is nature-inspired faux wallpaper. While more than half of people prefer painting a mural over applying wallpaper, 36% still say “not feeling confident in painting skills” is holding them back from trying this project.
Experienced painters may be confident enough to freehand a design, but those who are newer to the task can rely on painter’s tape or stencils to bring their vision to life. Stencils can be used as a guide to create floral or leaf patterns, or DIYers can sketch the shapes and tape them off with painter’s tape to keep outlines crisply defined.
Painting is one of the most rewarding DIY projects, but don’t make it harder than it has to be. These tips can help simplify your next paint project, no matter how complicated it might seem.
